Disc Zero
by Gohan Roxas
Summary: I always thought it was just a video game, with terrible events that shouldn't have happened the way they did. Little did I know that I was going to be the one to fix that. FFVII with a few tweaks and added OC. Cloud/Tifa, Zack/Aerith, Sephiroth/? Rated T for violence and language.


_**My God, this took me forever to finish writing. I started it ages ago after reading some of Mystwalker's **_**Another Side**_** (go check it out, it's amazing), and I thought along similar lines: What if it wasn't Sephiroth who caused the Nibelheim Incident? What if he stayed perfectly sane? What if it was Jenova who caused it all? This story follows that path.**_

_**My inspirations for this fic are Kieva-Lynn's ongoing series that consists of **_**Stranger Highways**_**, **_**Courage to Change the Things You Can**_** and **_**Insert Disk Two**_**, and – as I already mentioned – Mystwalker's multiple **_**Another Side **_**AU stories. Check them all out, they're amazing.**_

* * *

I stepped off the bus in a bad mood. Two university lectures in the week, both cancelled because of some sort of time clash? You'd think that in the first week of the year, they'd have things like that fixed already. Clearly not.

When I reach my front door I pull out my house key and smile when I see the three keychains. One was a miniature version of a sonic screwdriver, the second a small copy of the Ultima Weapon Keyblade, and the third resembled a red Summon Materia from _Final Fantasy VII_, one of my favourite games of all time.

The door opens and I step in quietly. I live alone, so I don't know why I'm being quiet, but I'm doing it anyway. Everything seems in order. Clearly no-one tried to break in or anything.

There's one thing that's different, though. A light-green orb that resembles a Materia rests on the table, next to the bowl where I keep my keys. Huh. When did that get there? Curious, I pick it up.

My vision blurs and I suddenly black out.

* * *

When my eyes snap open, I'm at a fairly familiar location. It's circular and futuristic. There's an armoured figure standing in the centre. The armour it wears is somewhere between gold and steel, and it has a red-black cape attached to its neck. The helm is odd-looking, with a large nosepiece and a wide crest on the head. I've seen him before: Valfodr, the Arbiter of Time. But wait…he's a character in a video game. How could he…?

I take a slight step forward. "Am I dead?"

Valfodr's head turns to me as if he's only just realised I'm here. "No," he replies in his altered voice. "You are not a lost soul bound to this Coliseum."

"The Coliseum? So that's where I am."

"Indeed," the Arbiter agrees. "I have summoned you here for a purpose. What is your name?"

For some weird reason, I have this sudden urge to give a fake name. Don't ask me why, but I do. "Marcus."

"That is not your name!" Valfodr suddenly snaps.

I flinch, but I calm down quickly. "That's the name I'm giving nonetheless."

There's a silence until the Arbiter nods. Is he approving of my choice?

"So what's this purpose I've been summoned for?" I ask.

Valfodr slams his staff on the floor of the Coliseum. The ground beneath me becomes transparent, before vanishing altogether. I panic, until I realise I'm still standing on something solid. I look down to spy a planet that looks very familiar to Earth, except for the land masses being different. I've seen that before. "Is that…?"

"Gaia," the Arbiter confirms.

"But I thought that was…" I stop, realising that I shouldn't say 'fictional', because until about a minute ago, I thought Valfodr was fictional, too. And now I was having a conversation with him.

"Are you aware of the Multiverse Theory?" the man I once thought was fictional asks me.

I nod slowly. "I've read about it." Yeah, in fanfiction.

"Put simply, there are multiple variations of numerous universes, all existing parallel to one another. As the Arbiter of Time, I can see into them all. But there are some few who can obtain brief glances into these universes. More often than not, what you would call 'fiction' is born from this – television programs, films, books…computer games."

I flash him a guilty look.

"Such is the case with the world of Gaia," Valfodr continues. "The events that occur here found their way into the mind of the creators of this so-called _Final Fantasy VII_, who created the game."

"And…?"

"And things did not happen as they should have."

I chuckle lightly. "Yeah, no kidding. Tifa and Cloud get orphaned, Sephiroth goes nuts, Zack and Aerith die…"

Valfodr nods. "My station dictates that I must ensure that events occur as they are destined to. What happens – or rather, what _will _happen – on Gaia was not the destiny of the planet."

I furrow my eyebrows. "Meaning…"

"Sephiroth was not the person destined to cause the Nibelheim Incident."

"Then who was? Genesis?"

"No. Jenova."

My head shoots up. That actually made sense. "What else?"

"Zack and Aerith are not meant to die."

"Knew that already," I mutter. "So why do you need me?"

"Only someone outside the world can change its fate," Valfodr explains. "I cannot interfere directly, but I can summon people to work on my behalf."

"And you want me…why?"

"Because you have an emotional connection to the events." The Arbiter stops suddenly and straightens slightly. "The time has come. I have prepared your place in the world."

"My place?" I ask, confused.

"I have created a role for you in this world to begin. No-one will doubt you…for some time, at least. You will be a scientist for Shinra, joining the expedition to Nibelheim to assess the situation with the Mako reactor. All the knowledge you will need will be transmitted into your mind. Now go!" He snaps his hand out at me.

I reel back, my eyes glazing over. I hear words in my head: scientist, Mako, monster, reactor, Ancient, Jenova. I vaguely feel as if I'm falling, but in my semi-comatose state, I don't really care.

I feel a sudden slap against my back, as if I've hit something. My eyes flutter closed. I start to wonder if Valfodr lied. I wonder if I really _am _dead.

* * *

When I wake up, I'm lying on a bed, wearing a simple black shirt and brown pants. On a nearby coatrack I see a white lab coat. Pinned on the collar is an ID card with my face on it. _Dr Marcus Baron_, the name reads. So Valfodr gave me a fake last name too? Not bad.

Groaning, I get up and slip on the coat. Unsurprisingly, it fits perfectly.

I hear footsteps behind me. Short, quick, like the owner of the feet can barely contain his excitement. "Yo, Doc! Ready to get going?"

I turn and – yep, should have guessed it – Zack Fair stands behind me, a grin on his youthful face.

"Where are we headed again?" I ask him.

Zack chuckles. "You're kidding, right? How could you forget? The Mako reactor on Mt Nibel."

I smile. "Sorry. Had a rough night's sleep. Weird dream." That part at least was true.

"Sephiroth and the others are waiting outside the old Shinra mansion," Zack continues. "You've taken your sweet time getting up."

I put on a theatrical scowl. "Like I said, I had a rough night's sleep."

"Heh, you don't have to explain it to me. It's Sephiroth that you have to explain yourself to. And I don't envy you one bit."

"Thanks," I deadpan.

Zack laughs and walks out, saying he'll meet me at the mansion. I'm meant to save this idiot? Remind me why I liked him so much.

Sure enough, the entire crowd is at the mansion's gate. Zack, two infantrymen, Tifa in that semi-ridiculous cowgirl outfit…and Sephiroth.

I'd always assumed that seeing Sephiroth up close and personal would be a terrifying thing. The fire of madness burning in his cat-like eyes, bereft of rational thought, Masamune clutched in his left hand, barrelling down on you, ready to shed your blood. I'd been wrong. This Sephiroth – the _sane_ Sephiroth – isn't frightening in the slightest. Sure, he's intimidating, but not scary.

I look at the two infantrymen. I know one of them is Cloud, but…I'm not sure who it is. Not yet, at least.

A townsperson walks up to us, a camera in his hands. I was a little shocked to see it was a digital one. I guess I'd been expecting it to be bulky. "Excuse me, Mr Sephiroth? I was wondering if I could get a picture of you and the other two?"

Zack and I exchange a look at being called 'the other two'.

Sephiroth grunts noncommittally. "Fine."

The photographer beams. "Tifa, can you get in here too?"

The girl nods and steps in between Sephiroth and Zack. I look her over covertly. Her famous bust hasn't fully developed yet, but she's definitely growing.

I stand beside Zack, not exactly sure what to do. I eventually decide to put my hands in my coat pockets and try to look intellectual. Zack starts to talk to Tifa, who's pushed her hat back a little. Sephiroth is standing still, his arms crossed, looking at the pathway, obviously eager to get away.

"Cheese!" the photographer shouts. We don't respond.

The camera's flash hits us and we break out of our poses – except Sephiroth, who's still in a staring competition with the pathway. He looks like he's winning.

"I'll give you each a copy once you get back, OK?" the townsman smiles.

I say nothing, knowing full well that this man will die in only a few days. The question still remains if I can make sure it's Jenova and not Sephiroth who kills him.

Tifa leads the group, with Sephiroth close behind, and Zack up the back with the infantrymen, presumably to talk to Cloud. That leaves me beside Sephiroth himself. I gulp.

"Why were you late?" the SOLDIER asks me in his deep voice.

"Well, uh…" I cough. "I had a bad night's sleep. I kept having this…weird dream."

"What was it?"

My eyes widen. What the hell am I gonna say now? I can't exactly tell him that I was sent here to prevent him from going bonkers and killing us all, now, could I?!

"Well?" he asks then, his patience clearly fraying.

I come up with a convincing lie that uses a partial truth. "I…in the dream, I saw…the town burning. And…and you…inside the flames, holding a head in your right hand."

"What was I doing?" He sounds both concerned and amused.

"You were…killing them. The townsfolk."

"How did the dream end?"

"It ended with…with you trying to kill me. Then I woke up."

Sephiroth stays silent for a while before he puts his hand on my shoulder. "Relax, Doctor. I won't ever do that."

"I hope not," I breathe.

Ahead of us, Tifa has reached the rope bridge. "We need to take it easy here, OK? The bridge is unstable!"

I exchange a look with Sephiroth, who seems to be weighing up his options. He moves forward confidently, and I follow him.

Once the entire group steps onto the bridge, it wavers. "What the?!" Zack exclaims.

"The bridge is about to go!" I shout my reply. "Hang onto something!"

Tifa's balance slips and she starts to fall; she might have died if Sephiroth hadn't grabbed her wrist. Well, that's a changed detail. Didn't Zack catch her in the original game? Is…is that a good sign?

The bridge finally gives way and we all fall, hitting the stone heavily. We all seem uninjured, particularly since Sephiroth managed to cushion the fall for Tifa with his body. The rest of us are bruised, but alright.

Zack stands up, his gaze looking to a part of the rock formation. He winces. Only when I look do I understand why.

The second infantryman – the one who isn't Cloud – has been impaled.

When Sephiroth looks at the man's dead body, his gaze isn't blank, merely…detached. As if he's cut off emotional connections for just this kind of incident. "We need to keep moving."

"But that man's dead!" Tifa protests.

"Sephiroth's right," I jump in before the silver-haired SOLDIER can retort. "If we don't move, we'll be just as dead as he is." I point to the infantryman to emphasise the point.

Tifa's face is shocked, but she nods and leads the way into a nearby cave. "We can use these to get back to the top." Her voice is duller now.

"Then let's move," Sephiroth says decisively, following her. Zack and Cloud are not far behind.

I hold back a little to look at the man sadly. Only a few hours ago I saw people like this man as only pieces of data, not real people. Now I'd actually seen him die, and…it hurt. I didn't know him. He may or may not have had a family I didn't know about. Who did?

I sigh and follow the rest of the party. As I leave, the man's body begins to disintegrate into strands of pale green light until it's gone.

* * *

_**So, should I keep it going? If I do, is there anything I should do with it? Should I do what Mystwalker has done and pair Sane!Sephy with Cissnei? Should I bring Kunsel in as a good guy? Should I change certain aspects of the lore, like Deepground and Genesis's affiliation with them?**_

_**Aah, there's too much to ask. Just…review this chapter and I'll see what I feel like.**_


End file.
